Headlight-lens for vehicles.



F. s. LEE;

HEADLIGHT LENS FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.8. I917- Patented Dec. 24,1918.

ti" i.

HEADLIGHT-LENS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Dec. 23%. till.

Application filed March 8. 1917. Serial No. 153,268.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester. in the county of Monroe and State of New Yorlnhavc invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlight-Lenses for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a new form'o'f headlight lens for motor vehicles for the purpose of deflecting the major part of the light rays delivered from the reliector below the horizontal and eliminate any glare above it and at the same time distribute the light rays downwardly and out wardly at a predetermined angle over the road and in front of thevehicle.

This and other objects of the invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings. described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lens.

F ig. 2 is a vertical central section through the lens. 1

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of the lens.

Figs. l and 5 are vertical sections of a portion of the lens with the prisms arranged in a modified form from that shown in Fig. 2.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

As illustrated in the drawings, reference portion of a numeral 1 represents a circular and slightly concave-convex glass. On the convex side of this glass are formed series of protruding prisms 2. These prisms are integral with the glass and are arranged in concentric circles in such a manner that the prisms of one circle are placed alternately between the prisms of the next inner or outer circles. On account of the concentric arrangement of each series of prisms, the prisms increase in size radially and thus form four individual series or prisms designated by the reference numerals 3, 4, 5 and 6, the prisms in each of the series (lil'lering in size as above pointed out. The rim of the glass 1 is knurled and for this purpose is provided with suitable radial ridges 7 which cover a small border of the glass between the perimeter of the glass and the largest of the series of prisms '2. r

In the center of the is provided a suitable center piece 8 which comprises two series 0i cylindrical prisms S) and ll.) with a circular projection 11 in the center thereof.

The cylindrical prisms of the series 9 are horizontally grouped around the series of prisms 10 which are triangular in shape and are radially arranged around the circular center core 11.

The center piece 8 is used for breaking up the central glare of the headlight and it will. be understood that any other center piece which accomplishes the same result may be substituted for the one described above as this portion of the lens forms no part of this invention.

Each of the prisms 2 is formed by a spherical body protruding from the glass 1 and having its front beveled 0d at a predetermined angle to the glass. 'The glass 1 thus forms one side of the prisms 2. The beveled surface of each of the prisms forms an angle with the glass plate which corresponds with the angle of refraction at which the light delivered from the reflector is to be deflected onto the road and ahead of the vehicle. It is understood that the lens may be provided with prisms having any desired angle ofrefraction.

As will be seen from an inspection of Fig. l. the spherical body portion of each of the prisms 2 forms a curved cover around the sides and the top of'the prisms .2, which cover resembles the eyelid of an eye. This cover serves the same purpose as the eyelid as it practically prevents the light, rays from passing through the prism except by prismatic retraction of the retracting surface formed by the beveled edge in front of this spherical body of the prism and the glass plate forming the hack of the lens. The angle of deviation of the rays thus retracted makes it possible to deflect the light rays from the headlight downwardly and concentrates them in front of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the lens in which the prisms 2 are arranged in horizontal rows and are of uniform size throughout. The action of these prisms, however. is the same as that of the prisms described in connection with Figs. 1 and 53 with the exception that fewer prisn'is are necessary to deflect the light rays from the headlight.

in Fig. 4 the prisms 2 are located on the concave side of the glass i so that the beveled surface oi the spherical body portion of each of the prisms points toward the inside of the headlight. The result is that the angle of deviation of the light rays deflects the light rays at a smaller angle and thus tights up the road a greater distance ahead or? the vehicle, v

To increasethe angle of deviation of the light rays refracted by the prisms two of the prisms 2 may be combined as shown in Fig. 5 in which the prism 12 is formed by a spherical body portion protruding from the convex side of the glass and a spherical ibody portion protruding from the concave side of the glass. To increase the tion as claimed may be resorted. to when desired.

I claim.

1. A light rays refractor comprising a glass unit formed with truncated spherical lenses having inclined flat faces, each of said lenses being eccentric to all the other lenses.

2; A- light rays refractor comprising a glass unit formed with truncated spherical lenses having inclined fiat faces, each of said lenses being eccentric to all the other lenses, and being arranged in eccentric cir cles on one sided said glass unit.

3. A light rays 'rei'ractor comprising a glass unit formed with truncated spherical lenses having fiat faces inclined in the same direction, said lenses being arranged in concentric circles on both sides of said glass unit, the circles and the lenses of the respective lenses on one side being staggered with respect to the circles and lenses oi the respective circles on the other side.

4. A light rays refraetor comprising a glass unit formed with truncated spherical lenses having flat faces inclined in the same direction, said lenses being arranged in concentric circles on one sideof said glass unit,

said lenses and their facesincreasing 111 size outward from the center of said glass unit.

A light rays refractor comprising a concavo-convex glass unit formed with truncated spherical lenses having flat faces inclined in the same direction, said lenses being arranged in concentric circles on one side of said glass unit, s'aid lenses and their faces increasing insize outward from the center of said glass unit.

In testimony. whereof I in presence of a witness.

FREDERICK e. LEE.

afiix my signature Witness ELEANOR M. CORCORAN. 

